Antisubmarine device



H. A. D. LINDSEY 2,379,447

ANTISUBMARINE DEVICE July 3, 1945.

Filed March 19, 1942 Fir/3.1.

INVENTOR Y .D.L/NDSEY ATTORNEYS OFFICE ANTISUBMARINE DEVICE Henry A. D.Lindsey, Hickam Field, Territory of Hawaii Application March 19, 1942,Serial No. 435,263

7 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to anti-submarine devices, and more particularlyto a device for simplifying the destruction of enemy submarines.

It is an object of this invention to actuate a submarine mine by pickingup the electromagnetic flux created by the motor or battery charger ofthe submarine.

Another object of this invention is to afford means whereby mines may bescattered over any area without endangering surface ships or vessels.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a mine which cannotbe set off by gun fire or easily swept away.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent upon aconsideration of the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is adiagrammatic representation of a mine embodying the principles of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the mine and float; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of th actuating mechanism.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1. it will be seen that I haveprovided a float I connected by a cable 3 to a mine 2. The submarine isrepresented generally by the numeral 5. The electromagnetic field of themotor 4 of the submarine 5 creates electromagnetic flux radiations ordisturbance about the submarine as represented by the numeral 6. Amagnetic pickup device I located on or near the mine is utilized as ameans for detecting the presence of the submarine 5 when it is operatingbelow the surface of a body of water in the near vicinity of the mine 2.

The construction of the float and mine will be clear upon aconsideration of Fig. 2. The magnetic pickup device 1 consists of twocrossed magnetic poles 8 about which are placed the balanced coils 9.Lead wires or conductors II), which may form the cable 3, lead from themine to the float where they connect to a balanced transformer I I. Afilament or fuse wire I2 is provided to detonate an explosive charge I6placed in a connector I5. The connector I5 is attached to the float andis so arranged that, upon detonation of the charge I6, the cable and itsattached mine will be released and will start to sink to a predetermineddepth. At such depth the pressure will cause the hydrostaticallycontrolled detonator 24 to explode the mine 2, causing violent pressuredisturbances that will destroy a submarine operating in the vicini y.The float I is constructed of a light material I 4, such as balsa orcork, and is provided with an inner lining I3 of metal to cause it tosink to a sufiicient depth so that it will be relatively unobservablefrom the surface.

The electrical operation is shown in Fig. 3. The output of the balancedtransformer I I is fed into a class B amplifier consisting of two ormore tubes I5 and I6. The output of the final tube is fed to a sensitiverelay II. By utilizing Class B operation, there will result a minimumdrain on the batteries and therefore longer life. When the submarine 5is operating below water in the vicinity of the magnetic pickup deviceI, the electromagnetic fiux radiations 6 created by the magnetic fieldof the electrical equipment of the submarine 5 such as the motor 4thereof, causes electrical impulses to be imparted to the coils 9 andproducing an extremely weak alternating current therein, which weakalternatin current is carried by the lead wires or conductors ID to thebalanced transformer I I, thereby causing the transformer to becomeunbalanced, which in turn causes a current to flow in the amplifyingcircuit. This amplified current actuates the relay l1 and will cause thebatteries to be directly short-circuited by the filament I2. The entirebattery current fiowing through the filament I2 will cause it to reachincandescence and thereby detonate the charge I6.

It will be clear from the above that I have provided a simple mine whichoperates on the principle of the detection of an electromagnetic fieldrather than the mere detection of a mass of iron.

While I have illustrated a particular embodiment of my invention, it isto be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the particulardetails and arrangement disclosed since various modifications within thespirit of the invention will suggest themselves to one skilled in theart.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a float, an explosivecharge carried by said float, a radiant energy amplifier includingdetonating means in engagement with said explosive charge, saiddetonating means connected to become active to explode said charge upona current flowing in said amplifier, a mine suspended from said floatand connected to be released therefrom by said explosive charge, meansfor producing a current in said amplifier, whereby said detonating meanswill explode said charge for releasing said mine from said float andmeans for detonating said mine upon being released from said fioat.

2. A device of the character described comprising a float, an explosivecharge carried by said float, a radiant energy amplifier provided insaid float and including a source of electrical energy and a filament,said filament engaging said explosive charge, means adapted to beactuated for connecting said filament in circuit with said source ofelectrical energy, said means arranged to be actuated upon a currentflowing in said amplifier, a mine suspended from said float and adaptedto be released therefrom by said explosive charge, means responsive toexternal electromagnetic radiations for producing a current in saidamplifier, whereby said first-mentioned means is actuated to connectsaid filament in circuit with said source of electrical energy, thuscausing said filament to become incandescent for exploding said chargeand releasing said mine from said float.

3. A device of the character described comprising a float, an explosivecharge carried by said float, a radiant energy amplifier provided insaid float and including a source of electrical energy and a filament,said filament engaging said explosive charge, means adapted to beactuated for connecting said filament in circuit with said source ofelectrical energy, said means arranged to be actuated by a currentflowing in said amplifier, a mine suspended from said float and adaptedto be released therefrom by said explosive charge, a pickup unitsupported on said mine, means connecting said unit to said amplifier,said unit being responsive to external electromagnetic radiations forproducing a current in said amplifier, whereby said first-mentionedmeans is actuated to connect said filament in circuit with said sourceof electrical energy, thus causing said filament to become incandescentfor exploding said explosive charge and releasing the mine from saidfloat.

4. In a device of the character described adapted to be placed in a bodyof water and acted on by electromagnetic radiations produced by theelectrical equipment of a submerged submarine comprising in combinationa float, an explosive charge carried by said float, a mine suspendedfrom and connected to be released from said float by said explosivecharge, a pickup unit consisting of electrical circuit means including aportion mounted in said float and a portion mounted on said mine,conductors connecting said portions together and providing means forsuspending said mine from the float, said first-mentioned portionincluding a filament connected to become incandescent upon a currentflowing through said electrical circuit means, and arranged to ignitesaid explosive charge and said second-mentioned portion including amagnetic induction device adapted to be acted on by said electromagneticradiations for inducing a current in said electrical circuit, meanswhereby said filament is caused to become incandescent for explodingsaid charge to release the mine from said float and means for detonatingsaid mine.

5. In a device of the character described adapted to be placed in a bodyof water and acted on by electromagnetic radiations produced by theelectrical equipment of a submarine comprising in combination a float,an explosive charge carried by said float, a mine suspended from andconnected to be released from said float by said explosive charge, apickup unit consisting of electrical circuit means including a portionmounted in said float and a portion mounted on said mine, conductorsconnecting said portions together and providing means for suspendingsaid mine from the float, said first-mentioned portion includingdetonating means engaging said explosive charge and connected to becomeactive by said electrical circuit means upon a current flowing thereinand said second-mentioned portion including a magnetic induction deviceadapted to be acted upon by said electromagnetic radiations for inducinga current in said electrical circuit means, whereby said detonatingmeans is caused to become active to explode said charge to release saidmine from the float and means for detonating said mine.

6. In a device of the character described adapted to be placed in a bodyof water and acted on by electromagnetic radiations produced by theelectrical equipment of a submarine comprising in combination a float,an explosive charge carried by said float, a mine suspended from andadapted to be released from said float by said explosive charge, apickup unit consisting of electrical circuit means including a portionmounted on said float and a portion mounted on said mine, conductorsconnecting said portions together and providing means for suspendingsaid mine from said float, said first-mentioned portion including asource of electrical energy, detonating means arranged to explode saidcharge and adapted to be connected in circuit with said source ofelectrical energy, upon a current flowing in said electrical circuitmeans, switch means adapted to be actuated by said electrical circuitmeans upon a current flowing therein for connecting said detonatingmeans in circuit with said source of electrical energy and saidsecondmentioned portion including a magnetic induc-- tion device adaptedto be acted upon by said electromagnetic radiations for inducing acurrent in said electrical circuit means, whereby said switch means isactuated to connect said detonating means in circuit with said source ofelectrical energy for exploding said charge and releasing said floatfrom said mine and means for eX- ploding said mine.

7. In a device of the character described adapted to be placed in a bodyof water and acted on by the electromagnetic equipment of a submarinecomprising in combination a float, an explosive charge carried by saidfloat, a mine suspended from and connected to be released from saidfloat by said explosive charge, a pickup unit including a portionmounted on said float and a portion mounted on said mine, saidfirstmentioned portion consisting of a radiant energy amplifierincluding a battery, a filament adapted to be connected in circuit withsaid battery, and engaging said explosive charge, a balanced transformerand a switch adapted to be actuated by said amplifier upon a currentflowing therein for connecting said filament in circuit with saidbattery and said second-mentioned portion consisting of a magneticinduction device and an input circuit including conductors connectingsaid magnetic induction device with said transformer, said magneticinduction device adapted to be acted upon by said electromagneticradiations for inducing a current in said input circuit and unbalancingsaid transformer, whereby a current is caused to flow in said amplifierfor actuating said switch to connect said battery in circuit with saidfilament thus causing said filament to become incandescent and explodingsaid charge for releasing said mine from said float and means forexploding said mine upon being released from said float.

HENRY A. D. LINDSEY.

